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BOOK VIII
Now when Morning, clad in her robe of saffron, had begun to suffuse
light over the earth, Jove called the gods in council on the topmost
crest of serrated Olympus. Then he spoke and all the other gods gave
ear. "Hear me," said he, "gods and goddesses, that I may speak even
as I am minded. Let none of you neither goddess nor god try to cross
me, but obey me every one of you that I may bring this matter to an
end. If I see anyone acting apart and helping either Trojans or Danaans,
he shall be beaten inordinately ere he come back again to Olympus;
or I will hurl him down into dark Tartarus far into the deepest pit
under the earth, where the gates are iron and the floor bronze, as
far beneath Hades as heaven is high above the earth, that you may
learn how much the mightiest I am among you. Try me and find out for
yourselves. Hangs me a golden chain from heaven, and lay hold of it
all of you, gods and goddesses together-­‐ tug as you will, you will
not drag Jove the supreme counsellor from heaven to earth; but were
I to pull at it myself I should draw you up with earth and sea into
the bargain, then would I bind the chain about some pinnacle of Olympus
and leave you all dangling in the mid firmament. So far am I above
all others either of gods or men."
They were frightened and all of them of held their peace, for he had
spoken masterfully; but at last Minerva answered, "Father, son of
Saturn, king of kings, we all know that your might is not to be gainsaid,
but we are also sorry for the Danaan warriors, who are perishing and
coming to a bad end. We will, however, since you so bid us, refrain
from actual fighting, but we will make serviceable suggestions to